Raft

A mixture of ground meat (usually chicken), celery, leeks, egg whites and sometimes egg shells used to clarify a stock or soup when making a Consommé. The mixture is added to a barely simmering stock until it forms a solid round that covers the surface. The coagulating proteins extracts all the impurities that rises to the top. A small hole is made in the raft to allow evaporation and to evaluate the clarity. The clear consommé is then carefully ladled out and the raft discarded.